The Demise of Roe v. Wade: Is America Ready?

The now infamous leaked US Supreme Court opinion suggests that the U.S. will soon roll back access to abortion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health, which will be handed down in the next month. In the U.S.’s federal system,  some states will offer no or nearly no access to abortion services while others will become destinations for abortion. This talk will explore the regional impacts across America of greatly reduced access to abortion, highlighting what the decision will likely mean for women even in states that have “guaranteed” access to abortion in their laws. It reviews how a checkerboard of laws, old and new, have set up these regional impacts.

It will then explore the practical difficulty facing advocates for greater access after decades of constitutionalizing of the right to reproductive freedom.  It will offer thoughts on whether advocate for women’s needs have the language and skills to move state lawmakers toward less restricted access, drawing on experiences in the culture wars over gay conversion therapy LGBT rights, assisting state lawmakers to forge common ground.

Robin Fretwell Wilson is Director, Institute of Government and Public Affairs, University of Illinois System & Mildred Van Voorhis Jones Chair in Law,  University of Illinois College of Law.

Time: 1pm

Location: Seminar Room 3, St Anne’s College

Lunch will be provided. All welcome.